More Software How-To

Not everything that Microsoft Word 2010 can do is obvious from a quick look at the tools on the main ribbon toolbar. Some features are buried in the Options menu or in dialog boxes, and others take the form of keyboard shortcuts or simply aren't easy to see.

With Windows 7, as well as giving the operating system a new look and the ability to personal the interface to suit you, Microsoft also implemented a number of features designed to making computing easier.

Many of us live and die by email, and because we do it makes sense to organize that email so that you can quickly find the messages you need. One way to organize email is to create filters or rules to automatically file it as it's received. In this week's Macworld Video I show you how to do just that.

If you're got a laptop or PC running Microsoft's Windows operating system, you may find it's possible to push the power button or close the lid to put your device to sleep, make it hibernate or even to shut it down.

Got a new Mac for the holidays? Congratulations! We bet you're anxious to get started using your new Mac--in fact, you might be reading this on that new Mac right now. The key to getting things done is to have the right software. Your Mac comes with plenty of software to get you started: Mail, Safari, iCal, Address Book, iLife, and more. But where can you find software that's not already on your Mac? One place--and perhaps the easiest source to use--is Apple's Mac App Store.

If you've spent more than a couple of hours on the Web you understand that the thing is choked with videos--from YouTube to Vimeo to news and entertainment sites. There's so much, in fact, that it's hard to watch everything you want to when you're sitting down in front of your computer. And because there is, it's not uncommon to seek ways to capture that video for later viewing on other devices or when an Internet connection isn't available.

Being a photographer is sort of like being in school--in a good way. There's always something new to learn. (Or if you prefer, you could just let your photo editor do most of the hard work for you.) As I write my very last Digital Focus of 2011, I thought it would be fun to take a look back and round up the ten most essential articles. If you're looking to brush up on some photography techniques over the holiday break, here are my recommendations.

The devil makes work for idle hands, but the past decade has seen several advances in voice-recognition software that aim to ensure our mouths rather than hands do the talking when using a PC or smartphone.

How do you share your photos? When I was a kid, "photo sharing" often meant sitting in a photo booth and then giving away the picture strip that it produced. (See how to make a modern, digital version by reading "Turn Your Digital Pictures into a Photo Strip.") Of course, these days, the easiest way to share photos is by posting them online at a photo sharing site.

A reader wanted to transfer some files from one PC to another using a USB drive. Many of the files were newer versions of files already on the drive. Our Helproom Expert explains the hassle-free way to transfer the files without losing data, and also how to replace the old files with new.